3/24/2005: Tube: Chasing Farrah
TV Land launched Farrah Fawcett's new reality show by airing two episodes back-to-back and holding a contest.. it doesn't seem like they were too sure about this one.
"Chasing Farrah" is different than similar shows in that the first ep included production meetings for the show. Farrah told them she hates reality shows.. "because nobody ever acknowledges a camera is there." She does, and often.
The debut also had lots of limo rides, lots of party invites from famous names, lots of assistants explaining how they "protect" her, and lots of Farrah-hungry paparazzi at every turn - I assume we're meant to realize what an in-demand superstar she is.
Like the better "unscripted" shows, this one provided lots of happy train-wreck moments such as Farrah claiming she can fly a 767 (she learned while spending half an hour in a cockpit, signing a poster for the pilot); the show's producers interviewing for her new personal assistant (they called the applicants a bunch of "fans, kooks, and creeps"); and Farrah saying this show would "not be another Anna Nicole." Au contraire.. that's exactly what we have here, hallelujah!
To Farrah's credit, she did acknowledge the Letterman fiasco. She should have left it at that - acknowledgment - but no, she went on to explain in yet another limo that it all happened because she couldn't think of the word 'embankment'.. then she went on to say that whenever she gets a bit ditzy she calls it a "Letterman moment, you know, when people make me look stupid".. she seems to have a lot of those.
She was thoughtful and reflective when asked about her fame and its many trappings, if she would rather live an anonymous life. She responded that she thinks an anonymous life would be a happier life.. but she didn't have much to say when the interviewer came back with "So why are you doing this reality show?"
For the second ep she called in Ryan O'Neal for backup. An assistant explained to us how "women just flocked to him" (30 years ago.)
Farrah happily announced they are sort of back together again; Ryan said "bring out the booze." They danced, giggled, bickered, played, and discussed dinner: Farrah wondered how much the film crew would eat, but Ryan explained to her how these things work: "they don't get any." (Later there was enough food on the table for the crew to not only eat, but take home doggie bags too.)
Dinner convo was about his time on "Peyton Place" and hers on "Charlie's Angels"; after dinner the subject shifted to Logan's Run and tabloid articles about them both. Then Farrah played a record she'd cooed and whispered on "before all that" and Ryan talked about being in a recording studio with Barbra Streisand. They each turned to the camera whenever the other made an odd remark, with a see-what-I-have-to-put-up-with expression.. there was a lot of that.
"Chasing Farrah" promises to be a tremendous train wreck of a show, with all the "best" elements of Anna Nicole along with a surprise bonus odd couple twist, a la Flavor Flav & Brigitte. Celebreality fans have something to laugh at again.
